Boehner: Lift Liability Cap for BP

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, called for completely lifting the liability cap on BP so that the company bears the full cost of the economic damage of the oil spill.

In an EXCLUSIVE “This Week” debate, Boehner and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, discussed the oil spill and did something they rarely do: agree. They both criticized BP’s response to the oil spill.

“BP has not been accurate in its representations. It has been misleading…[and] what has happened is outrageous and the American public are, correctly, very, very angry,” Hoyer said.

“Well, Steny, guess what: I agree wholeheartedly with you,” Boehner said. “The American people want this oil leak stopped now. They want to know what happened. They want the Gulf cleaned up. And they want it all done now,” the minority leader said. “I just think that BP ought to be held responsible for all of the costs that are involved in this.”

Boehner explained he wanted to change to current law so that BP would be responsible not just for the cost of cleanup but also for more economic damages than current law allows. “I think lifting the liability cap on BP and for this spill is appropriate.”

Host Jake Tapper asked, “so lift it entirely for BP?”

“Absolutely,” Boehner replied. “They should be held responsible for every dime of this cost.”